Christian Koffi: Franco-Ivorian winger joins Cesena on loan from Fiorentina

Christian Koffi has moved to Serie C outfit Cesena on loan from Serie A side Fiorentina with the option to buy at the end of the 2020-21 season, Goal can confirm.

The 20-year old Franco-Ivorian joined the youth squad of the Viola from Monaco in the summer of 2018 and has gone on to be a main fixture in the development team.

In his two seasons at the Stadio Comunale Gino Bozzi, Koffi has played 59 times, scoring eight goals and providing nine assists.

In Koffi’s first season, the Fiorentina Under-19s won the Coppa Italia Primavera by defeating Torino Under-19s 3-2 on aggregate with 2-0 and 2-1 victories in the first leg and second leg respectively.

For the 2019-20 season, the young Viola were successful once again in the same competition, this time triumphing over Hellas Verona Under-19s 1-0. Koffi provided three assists in the run-up to the final against Genoa Under-19s and Juventus Under-19s in the round of 16 and semi-finals.

Fiorentina Under-19s were however not successful in the Supercoppa Primavera, losing 2-1 to Atlanta Under-19s.

Koffi is yet to make a senior appearance for the Fiorentina first team but was among the substitutes in a 1-0 Serie A home loss by AC Milan on May 11, 2019.

His move to Cesena is thus his first exposure to first-team football in his career. Goal understands Championship clubs in Bristol City and Norwich City were interested in securing his services, but he was keen to get regular playing time which he hopes to find at the Stadio Dino Manuzzi.

Koffi narrated previous encounters he’s had with France veteran Franck Ribery who joined Fiorentina last summer after his 12-year association with Bayern Munich.

“I’ve had the chance to talk to him,” Koffi previously told Get Italian Football News. “There was a bit of apprehension because he’s such a great player who’s done a lot for the sport, so I had doubts. But he’s actually nice and very welcoming.

“He speaks very often with young players, he gives us a lot of advice. I only have good things to say about him because he’s not only a great player but also a great person.”